Photoluminescence imaging of thin film silicon on glass

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells 2014-11, Vol.130, p.1-5
• Main Authors: Teal, Anthony, Dore, Jonathon, Varlamov, Sergey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Crystal structure; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Glass; Imaging; Liquid phase crystallisation; Natural energy; Photoelectric conversion; Photoluminescence imaging; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Photovoltaics; Silicon films; Silicon substrates; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Thin film Si on glass; Thin films
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.06.024

Photoluminescence (PL) imaging over a large area (4.5×4.5cm2) is demonstrated on polycrystalline silicon thin films and solar cells on glass. PL imaging is a well-established technique for characterisation of silicon wafers and wafer-based solar cells, however its application to crystalline silicon thin films on glass was not possible due to low material quality and volume, and IR noise from the glass substrate. This paper reports methods to overcome these limitations, the design of a thin-film silicon PL imaging system, examples of PL images of silicon films at different processing stages and preliminary findings. It is demonstrated that the observed PL images qualitatively correlate with the silicon film crystal grain structure and quality. •PL imaging is used to quantitatively characterise non-uniformity of LPCSG material.•PL image intensity is found to be excitation wavelength dependent.•Design and construction of PL imaging system for thin film Silicon on glass.•Area of dense grain boundaries is found to correlate with areas of low PL Intensity.